Heart of Darkness

Published Jun 11 2008, 03:15 PM by Sharon Steel

Andre Dubus III's The House of Sand and Fog was probably THE saddest, most wrenching book we ever read. We were hoping his latest, The Garden of Last Days, would be similar in its delicious soul-killing-ness. But Janet Maslin doesn't think so! In her Books of the Times review, she notes that:

“The Garden of Last Days” explores the cultural chasm between Bassam’s world and Spring’s. With a plot fueled by the certitude that something terrible will happen, this narrative may mean to recall the devastating forward motion of Russell Banks’s “Continental Drift.” But Mr. Dubus shows none of Mr. Banks’s anguished insight into such a clash of values and attitudes. Instead he often treats this book as an occasion for easy irony, as in the way April has left Franny to watch Disney videos. Thus the child can immerse herself in “The Little Mermaid” despite the smoke, loud music, raucous men and tawdry, real-life women surrounding her. Thus if Franny is to watch “The Lion King” in these last days before the 9/11 attacks, April insists that her daughter be shielded from the scary parts.

Maslin is disappointed that in this novel, Dubus's "forces of darkness are less subtle." Maybe Dubus wrote out all the baddies and doesn't have anything left to forward his sad muse. Kinda like Rivers Cuomo. But at least Dubus doesn't have a porn-stache. There are still some things to be grateful for.

Filed Under: Author Rants, NYT

Lynne Spears memoir "will not be a parenting book."

Q&A with Rose Metal Press founders

Follow the Phoenix

All Blogs

On The Download (2,330)
Outside The Frame (340)
Talking Politics (1,646)
Laser Orgy (107)
Phlog (1,545)
Dont Quote Me (581)

Filed Under: Author Rants, NYT

Boston Phoenix
Heart of Darkness
Published 6/11/2008 by Sharon Steel
Andre Dubus III's The House of Sand and Fog was probably THE saddest, most wrenching book we ever r...

Boston Phoenix
More "Fine Lines": Why obsess over the NYTBR when you can obsess over 80's YA?
Published 2/26/2008 by Importer
Hell to the yes. "Fine Lines," the newish Friday feature at ultimate lady-blog Jezebel just keeps ge...

more by Sharon Steel

Interview: Leanne Shapton | March 24, 2009

Interview: Joss Whedon | February 09, 2009

Review: Dollhouse | February 09, 2009

Faking it | January 06, 2009

Bad girls | October 16, 2008

See all articles by: Sharon Steel

Latest Comments

SXSW 2010 (Wednesday) mid-day review and video: Japandroids, Morning Benders and more - Nope. Totally didn't.

By sccc on 03-19-2010 in On The Download

Fuck Rachael Ray and Her Annoying SXSW Party - Couldn't agree with you more!

By Yara on 03-19-2010 in On The Download

Q&A #8: Katherine Clark - A lawyer from the politically connected firm Mintz, Levin running as an outsider?

By capecodder on 03-18-2010 in Talking Politics

Fuck Rachael Ray and Her Annoying SXSW Party - Dude, if you're gonna slam the woman, at least check that you don't typo her name in your opening sentence...

By Brenna on 03-18-2010 in On The Download

RIP Alex Chilton, 1950 - 2010 - It's news out of New Orleans where Chilton had lived for the last 20+ years

By jazzlunatique on 03-18-2010 in On The Download

Latest Comments from WordUp

Heart of Darkness

Leave a Comment